CA2543571C - Dispenser having air tight spout - Google Patents
Dispenser having air tight spout Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2543571C CA2543571C CA2543571A CA2543571A CA2543571C CA 2543571 C CA2543571 C CA 2543571C CA 2543571 A CA2543571 A CA 2543571A CA 2543571 A CA2543571 A CA 2543571A CA 2543571 C CA2543571 C CA 2543571C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- slit
- spout valve
- opening
- retainer
- discharge head
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 239000012263 liquid product Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 41
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920002725 thermoplastic elastomer Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 description 16
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 210000002445 nipple Anatomy 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- -1 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 241000904020 Taurotragus Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007812 deficiency Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013536 elastomeric material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000499 gel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000011837 pasties Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/0005—Components or details
- B05B11/0062—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed
- B05B11/007—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed being opened by deformation of a sealing element made of resiliently deformable material, e.g. flaps, skirts, duck-bill valves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D35/00—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor
- B65D35/24—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices
- B65D35/36—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices for applying contents to surfaces
- B65D35/38—Nozzles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/0005—Components or details
- B05B11/0062—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed
- B05B11/0072—A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D25/38—Devices for discharging contents
- B65D25/40—Nozzles or spouts
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
- B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
- B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
- Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
- Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
- Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
Abstract
A spout valve assembly, for a pump dispenser including a discharge head, is located within an opening in the discharge head for permitting outletting of liquid product and includes a spout valve retained within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve includes a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit includes slit lips directly engageable with and disengageable from each other to respectively define a slit closed and opened configurations. The spout valve is made of a material for permitting opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
Description
DISPENSER HAVING AIR TIGHT SPOUT
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Field of Invention The invention relates generally to improvements in pump dispensers, and more particularly to such pump dispensers having an improved spout valve assembly including an elastomeric one-way valve forming an air tight spout capable of quick shut-off of the discharge channel to prevent drying of product within the discharge channel.
Description of Related Art The known manually actuated pump dispensers especially those designed for the dispensing of personal care products which may be in the form of pastes or gels, typically have both inlet and outlet check valves for respectively controlling the flow of liquid product into the pump chamber during each piston suction stroke and for controlling the outflow of the liquid product from the pump chamber during each piston compression stroke.
Such pump dispensers are advantageous in that they permit dispensing of products in a metered quantity over an extended period of use. However, extended use of many available pump dispensers often resulted in accumulation and drying ofproduct at the dispenser head outlet or in the channel leading up to the outlet, which must be avoided from both an operational as well as hygienic point of view.
In order to address the drawbacks of product accumulation and drying with conventional pump dispensers, several valve designs have been proposed for sealing the channel leading up to the dispenser head outlet. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,186,368 (hereinafter "the `368 Patent") and 5,447,258 (hereinafter "the `258 Patent") are exemplary of such a known pump dispensers.
While the valve designs of the `368 and `258 Patents have improved upon conventional pump dispenser valve designs, as discussed below, these designs are nevertheless problematic in their own respect.
Specifically, referring to Figs. 4 and 6 of the `368 Patent, the elastomer valve, referred to as a shutter, is mounted by telescoping it over a nipple (see Fig. 6) formed at the front end of pump head. Shutter sealingly engages the nipple along the forward peripheral edge thereof as well as along the side periphery. Head is disposed in sealed contact with side wall of the shutter over a first surface which extends only over the inside of side wall, and the head is further disposed in sealed contact with the inside surface; of end wall . These assembly requirements enable shutter to be sealingly engaged with the nipple.
As readily evident from the description of the '368 Patent valve design, the valve assembly is disadvantageous in that shutter can easily dislodge over repeated use because of the ineffective mounting thereof on the nipple of pump had. This tendency to dislodge is especially of concern when the shutter is subjected to pasty product under high pressure during pumping. Further, the shutter cannot otherwise be strengthened for enhancing its mounting with the head since it is of a one-piece construction, and the shutter can only be rigidified to a certain degree since sufficient elasticity is needed for opening and closing the slit.
Turning now to the valve design of the `258 Patent, referring to Fig. I of the `258 Patent, the valve assembly includes first and second valve bodies partially retained within the dispenser head by stopper. Valve body is specifically retained within the dispenser head by engaging part disposed in contact with projection on one side of part and stopper surface on the other side thereof. Valves and operate by means of their engagement at location, where valve body is disposed in seating engagement with shaft of valve. Thus, during downward pressing of head, product enters from pipe into the space between valve and shaft. When sufficient pressure is created, valve elands radially to break the contact between end opening part and shaft, and allow product to exit. Upon release of pressure on head, opening part of valve resumes contact with shaft to sea) the exit As readily evident from the description of the '258 Patent valve design, the valve assembly of the `258 Patent is disadvantageous in that it includes at least three components, namely valve bodies, and stopper for effective sealing of the exit channel. Further, valve bodies, and stopper are of relatively complicated designs. From a manufac ring point of view, for pump dispensers often made by the hundreds-of-thousands, the addition of a single component, as well as the preparation required for a relatively complicated mold can add significantly to the overall cost of the finished product. Further, as readily evident from the discussion above, while the valve assembly of the `258 Patent may provide adequate sealing of the outlet channel at early stages of dispenser operation, extended use of the `258 Patent pump dispenser invariably results in accumulation and drying ofproduct at the dispenser head outlet due to product accumulation between opening part and shaft.
In a similar manner as the `368 and 1258 Patents, the spout valve designs of U.S. Patent Nos.
6,497,346, 6,065,642 and 5,377,877 are problematic due to their complicated operation and assembly, and further due to the inadequate mounting thereof to the dispenser head.
It would therefore be of benefit to provide a pump dispenser having an improved elastomeric spout valve which both facilitates easier and more economical manufacture and assembly of the pump dispenser, which securely remains mounted to the dispenser head over the life of the pump dispenser for reducing or virtually eliminating the odds of the valve being dislodged from the dispenser head, regardless of pressures required for opening the valve slit, and which is robust in design and efficient in operation. It would also be of benefit to provide a spout valve which will quickly respond for sealing the discharge flow path during each piston suction stroke irrespective of the viscosity of the product being dispensed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention solves the problems and over comes the drawbacks and deficiencies of prior art pump dispenser designs by providing in combination an improved deformable spout valve which both facilitates manufacture and assembly of the pump dispenser, which securely remains mounted to the dispenser head over the life of the pump dispenser, regardless of pressures required for opening the spout valve slit, and which provides repeatability in the cross-sectional quality of the discharged product over the life of the pump dispenser.
The present invention thus provides a manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes. The pump dispenser may include a spout valve assembly located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening during each of the pressure strokes, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration.
The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of the pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
For the pump dispenser described above, the slitted first end of the spout valve may protrude out through the retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within the retainer opening. The retainer may fixedly retain the spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between the retainer and the discharge head. The retainer may include a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent the second opposite end of the spout valve for fixedly retaining the spout valve within the discharge head opening. The spout valve may include a section tapered toward the slit. The retainer opening may include a complementary taper as the spout valve tapered section to securely retain the spout valve within the retainer opening' The spout valve may be formed of a silicone and/or a thermoplastic elastomer.
The present invention further provides a spout valve assembly for a manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes.
The spout valve assembly may be located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening during each of the pressure strokes, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first and thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of the pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Field of Invention The invention relates generally to improvements in pump dispensers, and more particularly to such pump dispensers having an improved spout valve assembly including an elastomeric one-way valve forming an air tight spout capable of quick shut-off of the discharge channel to prevent drying of product within the discharge channel.
Description of Related Art The known manually actuated pump dispensers especially those designed for the dispensing of personal care products which may be in the form of pastes or gels, typically have both inlet and outlet check valves for respectively controlling the flow of liquid product into the pump chamber during each piston suction stroke and for controlling the outflow of the liquid product from the pump chamber during each piston compression stroke.
Such pump dispensers are advantageous in that they permit dispensing of products in a metered quantity over an extended period of use. However, extended use of many available pump dispensers often resulted in accumulation and drying ofproduct at the dispenser head outlet or in the channel leading up to the outlet, which must be avoided from both an operational as well as hygienic point of view.
In order to address the drawbacks of product accumulation and drying with conventional pump dispensers, several valve designs have been proposed for sealing the channel leading up to the dispenser head outlet. U.S. Patent Nos. 5,186,368 (hereinafter "the `368 Patent") and 5,447,258 (hereinafter "the `258 Patent") are exemplary of such a known pump dispensers.
While the valve designs of the `368 and `258 Patents have improved upon conventional pump dispenser valve designs, as discussed below, these designs are nevertheless problematic in their own respect.
Specifically, referring to Figs. 4 and 6 of the `368 Patent, the elastomer valve, referred to as a shutter, is mounted by telescoping it over a nipple (see Fig. 6) formed at the front end of pump head. Shutter sealingly engages the nipple along the forward peripheral edge thereof as well as along the side periphery. Head is disposed in sealed contact with side wall of the shutter over a first surface which extends only over the inside of side wall, and the head is further disposed in sealed contact with the inside surface; of end wall . These assembly requirements enable shutter to be sealingly engaged with the nipple.
As readily evident from the description of the '368 Patent valve design, the valve assembly is disadvantageous in that shutter can easily dislodge over repeated use because of the ineffective mounting thereof on the nipple of pump had. This tendency to dislodge is especially of concern when the shutter is subjected to pasty product under high pressure during pumping. Further, the shutter cannot otherwise be strengthened for enhancing its mounting with the head since it is of a one-piece construction, and the shutter can only be rigidified to a certain degree since sufficient elasticity is needed for opening and closing the slit.
Turning now to the valve design of the `258 Patent, referring to Fig. I of the `258 Patent, the valve assembly includes first and second valve bodies partially retained within the dispenser head by stopper. Valve body is specifically retained within the dispenser head by engaging part disposed in contact with projection on one side of part and stopper surface on the other side thereof. Valves and operate by means of their engagement at location, where valve body is disposed in seating engagement with shaft of valve. Thus, during downward pressing of head, product enters from pipe into the space between valve and shaft. When sufficient pressure is created, valve elands radially to break the contact between end opening part and shaft, and allow product to exit. Upon release of pressure on head, opening part of valve resumes contact with shaft to sea) the exit As readily evident from the description of the '258 Patent valve design, the valve assembly of the `258 Patent is disadvantageous in that it includes at least three components, namely valve bodies, and stopper for effective sealing of the exit channel. Further, valve bodies, and stopper are of relatively complicated designs. From a manufac ring point of view, for pump dispensers often made by the hundreds-of-thousands, the addition of a single component, as well as the preparation required for a relatively complicated mold can add significantly to the overall cost of the finished product. Further, as readily evident from the discussion above, while the valve assembly of the `258 Patent may provide adequate sealing of the outlet channel at early stages of dispenser operation, extended use of the `258 Patent pump dispenser invariably results in accumulation and drying ofproduct at the dispenser head outlet due to product accumulation between opening part and shaft.
In a similar manner as the `368 and 1258 Patents, the spout valve designs of U.S. Patent Nos.
6,497,346, 6,065,642 and 5,377,877 are problematic due to their complicated operation and assembly, and further due to the inadequate mounting thereof to the dispenser head.
It would therefore be of benefit to provide a pump dispenser having an improved elastomeric spout valve which both facilitates easier and more economical manufacture and assembly of the pump dispenser, which securely remains mounted to the dispenser head over the life of the pump dispenser for reducing or virtually eliminating the odds of the valve being dislodged from the dispenser head, regardless of pressures required for opening the valve slit, and which is robust in design and efficient in operation. It would also be of benefit to provide a spout valve which will quickly respond for sealing the discharge flow path during each piston suction stroke irrespective of the viscosity of the product being dispensed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention solves the problems and over comes the drawbacks and deficiencies of prior art pump dispenser designs by providing in combination an improved deformable spout valve which both facilitates manufacture and assembly of the pump dispenser, which securely remains mounted to the dispenser head over the life of the pump dispenser, regardless of pressures required for opening the spout valve slit, and which provides repeatability in the cross-sectional quality of the discharged product over the life of the pump dispenser.
The present invention thus provides a manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes. The pump dispenser may include a spout valve assembly located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening during each of the pressure strokes, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration.
The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of the pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
For the pump dispenser described above, the slitted first end of the spout valve may protrude out through the retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within the retainer opening. The retainer may fixedly retain the spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between the retainer and the discharge head. The retainer may include a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent the second opposite end of the spout valve for fixedly retaining the spout valve within the discharge head opening. The spout valve may include a section tapered toward the slit. The retainer opening may include a complementary taper as the spout valve tapered section to securely retain the spout valve within the retainer opening' The spout valve may be formed of a silicone and/or a thermoplastic elastomer.
The present invention further provides a spout valve assembly for a manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes.
The spout valve assembly may be located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening during each of the pressure strokes, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first and thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of the pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
For the spout valve assembly described above, the slitted first end of the spout valve may protrude out through the retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within the retainer opening. The retainer may fixedly retain the spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular nb disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between the retainer and the discharge head. The retainer may include a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent the second opposite end of the spout valve for fixedly retaining the spout valve within the discharge head opening. The spout valve may include a section tapered toward the slit. The retainer opening may include a complementary taper as the spout valve tapered section to securely retain the spout valve within the retainer opening. The spout valve may be formed of a silicone and/or a thermoplastic elastomer.
The present invention yet further provides a spout valve assembly for a pump dispenser including a discharge head. The spout valve assembly may be located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
For the spout valve assembly described above, the slitted first end of the spout valve may protrude out through the retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within the retainer opening. The retainer may fixedly retain the spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between the retainer and the discharge head. The retainer may include a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent the second opposite end of the spout valve for fixedly retaining the spout valve within the discharge head opening. The spout valve may include a section tapered toward the slit. The retainer opening may include a complementary taper as the spout valve tapered section to securely retain the spout valve within the retainer opening. The spout valve maybe formed of a silicone and/or a thermoplastic elastomer.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide fiuther explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention yet further provides a spout valve assembly for a pump dispenser including a discharge head. The spout valve assembly may be located within an opening in the discharge head. The spout valve assembly permits outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with the discharge head opening, and includes a spout valve retained substantially within the discharge head opening by a retainer. The spout valve may be disposed within an opening in the retainer, and include a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof. The slit may include slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. The spout valve may be made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of the slit under pressure from the liquid product for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through the slit when in the slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of the slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through the slit when in the slit closed configuration.
For the spout valve assembly described above, the slitted first end of the spout valve may protrude out through the retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within the retainer opening. The retainer may fixedly retain the spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between the retainer and the discharge head. The retainer may include a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent the second opposite end of the spout valve for fixedly retaining the spout valve within the discharge head opening. The spout valve may include a section tapered toward the slit. The retainer opening may include a complementary taper as the spout valve tapered section to securely retain the spout valve within the retainer opening. The spout valve maybe formed of a silicone and/or a thermoplastic elastomer.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide fiuther explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the detail description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump dispenser head according to the present invention, illustrating a spout valve assembly, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pump dispenser, partly broken away, taken substantially along line 2-2, illustrating the various internal features of the spout valve assembly including a retainer and an elastomeric spout valve; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spout valve assembly of Fig. I in a disassembled configuration, illustrating the retainer and the elastomeric spout valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a discharge head is generally designated 10 in Fig. 1, which is used with a manually actuated pump dispenser as represented by the type disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,447,258 {"the `238 Patent").
Briefly, the dispenser of the `258 Patent includes a pump housing which defines a pump cylinder having a pump piston disposed for reciprocation therein. The housing, which is open at its upper end is supported by a conventional container closure in the form of an internally threaded cap, which is adapted to support the pump housing within the interior of a container to dispense the liquid product from the container as desired. Supported at the upper end of the pump piston is a discharge head (designated pressure base 20), similar to discharge head 10 according to the present invention.
Turning now to Figs. 1-3 of the present invention, discharge head 10 may include a slitted orifice 12 communicating through suitable passages 14, 16 with the hollow piston rod 19 for discharging the liquid product to the atmosphere. The upper surface 20 of the head may be conformed to receive downward finger pressure for the purpose of reciprocating the pump piston.
As shown in Figs. I and 2, discharge head 10 may include a spout valve assembly 18 including spout valve 22 retained in discharge head opening 24 by means of a retainer 26. As can be seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 2, in the embodiment illustrated, opening 24 may include a generally elliptical outer profile (see Fig. 1), and a generally rectangular inner profile (see Fig, 2). Opening 24 may further include a plurality of retention and alignment means for likewise retaining and aligning spout valve 22 and retainer 26 therein. In the specific embodiment illustrated, the retention means may include a groove 28 into which circumferentially disposed rib 30 ofretainer 26 may fit for allowing a snap-fit engagement between retainer 26 and discharge head 10. As readily evident, the engagement of rib 30 and groove 28 facilitates alignment of retainer 26 within the opening of discharge head 10. Further, the alignment means may include conical rib 32 which projects into a complementary groove 34 within spout valve 22. It would be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure that alternative retaining and alignment means may be provided without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of retainer 26 being snap-fitted to discharge head 10 as shown, a retainer 26 may be friction fitted or otherwise bonded within the opening in discharge head 10.
As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, spout valve 22 may include a generally tapered discharge section 36 and a retention section 37, and formed of a single piece. Tapered discharge section 36 may include a slit 38 normally disposed in a discharge closed position due to the elastic properties of the material, and otherwise disposed in a discharge open position upon actuation of head 10 in the mown manner. Slit 38 may include upper and lower slit lips 39, 41, respectively, directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration (see configuration of Fig. 3) and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. Valve 22 may further include orifice 50 for fluid communication with passage 16. Valve 22 may be formed of an elastomeric material as shown, or of another elastically deformable material for permitting the required opening and closing of slit 38 during pump actuation. Further, although slit 38 is illustrated as a linear slit, slit 38 may be readily formed of other configurations (i.e. star-shaped, curved etc.) to permit control of the discharge thererthrough.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, as briefly discussed above, retainer 26 may include a generally elliptical outer surface 40 sized to smoothly mate with countersunk opening 42 in discharge head 10. Retainer 26 may further include a rear flange 44 formed to mate with complementary flange 46 of spout valve 22, for tightly retaining the valve within the front opening of discharge head 10.
An inner tapered opening 48 may be provided at the same taper angle as tapered discharge section 36 of valve 22. While the embodiment of Fig. 2 illustrates a small tolerance 49 between the respective surfaces 40, 47, it should be noted that valve 22 and opening 48 may be sized for a tighter fit, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Retainer 26 may be formed of a plastic (i.e. polyethylene, polypropylene etc.) or other rigid material for providing adequate retention of valve 22 within opening 24.
With retainer 26 and valve 22 thus assembled as shown in Fig. 2, it can be seen that the head of valve 22 extends slightly downstream by a distance D from outer surface 40 of retainer 26. This extension from surface 40 enables the exposed portion 52 of valve 22 to allow product discharge at a predetermined distance from surface 40 and thus prevents product from accumulating adjacent opening 48 of retainer 22.
Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the reverse taper of surfaces 40, 47 of valve 22 and retainer 26 may be provided and functions equally well in all these type of dispensers to retain the valve positively in place without dislodgement even under extreme and repeated high pressures of the dispensed fluids.
The operation of discharge head 10 will now be described in detail with reference to Figs. 1-3.
Specifically, once the pump for discharge head 10 is primed and the pump chamber is partially filled with the liquid product to be dispensed, together with a residual amount of air and/or liquid vapor, downward finger pressure on head 10 will initiate downward movement of the pump piston on its operative stroke. Throughout the initial portion of the stroke, the main discharge valve (not shown) will be retained in a closed position by upward pressure of the pump spring.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump dispenser head according to the present invention, illustrating a spout valve assembly, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pump dispenser, partly broken away, taken substantially along line 2-2, illustrating the various internal features of the spout valve assembly including a retainer and an elastomeric spout valve; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spout valve assembly of Fig. I in a disassembled configuration, illustrating the retainer and the elastomeric spout valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a discharge head is generally designated 10 in Fig. 1, which is used with a manually actuated pump dispenser as represented by the type disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,447,258 {"the `238 Patent").
Briefly, the dispenser of the `258 Patent includes a pump housing which defines a pump cylinder having a pump piston disposed for reciprocation therein. The housing, which is open at its upper end is supported by a conventional container closure in the form of an internally threaded cap, which is adapted to support the pump housing within the interior of a container to dispense the liquid product from the container as desired. Supported at the upper end of the pump piston is a discharge head (designated pressure base 20), similar to discharge head 10 according to the present invention.
Turning now to Figs. 1-3 of the present invention, discharge head 10 may include a slitted orifice 12 communicating through suitable passages 14, 16 with the hollow piston rod 19 for discharging the liquid product to the atmosphere. The upper surface 20 of the head may be conformed to receive downward finger pressure for the purpose of reciprocating the pump piston.
As shown in Figs. I and 2, discharge head 10 may include a spout valve assembly 18 including spout valve 22 retained in discharge head opening 24 by means of a retainer 26. As can be seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 2, in the embodiment illustrated, opening 24 may include a generally elliptical outer profile (see Fig. 1), and a generally rectangular inner profile (see Fig, 2). Opening 24 may further include a plurality of retention and alignment means for likewise retaining and aligning spout valve 22 and retainer 26 therein. In the specific embodiment illustrated, the retention means may include a groove 28 into which circumferentially disposed rib 30 ofretainer 26 may fit for allowing a snap-fit engagement between retainer 26 and discharge head 10. As readily evident, the engagement of rib 30 and groove 28 facilitates alignment of retainer 26 within the opening of discharge head 10. Further, the alignment means may include conical rib 32 which projects into a complementary groove 34 within spout valve 22. It would be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure that alternative retaining and alignment means may be provided without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of retainer 26 being snap-fitted to discharge head 10 as shown, a retainer 26 may be friction fitted or otherwise bonded within the opening in discharge head 10.
As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, spout valve 22 may include a generally tapered discharge section 36 and a retention section 37, and formed of a single piece. Tapered discharge section 36 may include a slit 38 normally disposed in a discharge closed position due to the elastic properties of the material, and otherwise disposed in a discharge open position upon actuation of head 10 in the mown manner. Slit 38 may include upper and lower slit lips 39, 41, respectively, directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration (see configuration of Fig. 3) and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration. Valve 22 may further include orifice 50 for fluid communication with passage 16. Valve 22 may be formed of an elastomeric material as shown, or of another elastically deformable material for permitting the required opening and closing of slit 38 during pump actuation. Further, although slit 38 is illustrated as a linear slit, slit 38 may be readily formed of other configurations (i.e. star-shaped, curved etc.) to permit control of the discharge thererthrough.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, as briefly discussed above, retainer 26 may include a generally elliptical outer surface 40 sized to smoothly mate with countersunk opening 42 in discharge head 10. Retainer 26 may further include a rear flange 44 formed to mate with complementary flange 46 of spout valve 22, for tightly retaining the valve within the front opening of discharge head 10.
An inner tapered opening 48 may be provided at the same taper angle as tapered discharge section 36 of valve 22. While the embodiment of Fig. 2 illustrates a small tolerance 49 between the respective surfaces 40, 47, it should be noted that valve 22 and opening 48 may be sized for a tighter fit, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Retainer 26 may be formed of a plastic (i.e. polyethylene, polypropylene etc.) or other rigid material for providing adequate retention of valve 22 within opening 24.
With retainer 26 and valve 22 thus assembled as shown in Fig. 2, it can be seen that the head of valve 22 extends slightly downstream by a distance D from outer surface 40 of retainer 26. This extension from surface 40 enables the exposed portion 52 of valve 22 to allow product discharge at a predetermined distance from surface 40 and thus prevents product from accumulating adjacent opening 48 of retainer 22.
Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the reverse taper of surfaces 40, 47 of valve 22 and retainer 26 may be provided and functions equally well in all these type of dispensers to retain the valve positively in place without dislodgement even under extreme and repeated high pressures of the dispensed fluids.
The operation of discharge head 10 will now be described in detail with reference to Figs. 1-3.
Specifically, once the pump for discharge head 10 is primed and the pump chamber is partially filled with the liquid product to be dispensed, together with a residual amount of air and/or liquid vapor, downward finger pressure on head 10 will initiate downward movement of the pump piston on its operative stroke. Throughout the initial portion of the stroke, the main discharge valve (not shown) will be retained in a closed position by upward pressure of the pump spring.
As such downward movement continues, however, the main discharge valve will open such that liquid product is discharged through hollow piston rod 19, through passages 14, 16, and out thorough slit 38.
Thereafter, when finger pressure on head 10 is released, the piston commences its upward stroke, by energy stored in the pump spring. Upward movement of the piston produces a pressure drop in the pump chamber, causing liquid to be sucked into the pump chamber via a dip tube, in readiness for a further downward stroke. During the upward stroke, slit 38 remains in a closed configuration.
The assembly of discharge head 10 will now be described with reference to Figs. 1-3.
Specifically, in order to assemble discharge head 10, spout valve 22 may be disposed within opening 24 within head 10, and thereafter, retainer 26 may be snap-fitted within opening 24 with valve 22 already in place. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, spout valve 22 and retainer 26 may be assembled such that spout valve 22 is disposed within opening 48 of retainer 26 prior to insertion within opening 24, and thereafter, the valve assembly may be inserted within opening 24 of discharge head 10. In either case, it can be seen that a simple yet effective means is provided for retaining valve 22 within discharge head 10.
The spout valve assembly according to the present invention thus provides several benefits over those of the prior art. For example, spout valve assembly 18 including spout valve 22 and retainer 26 facilitates assembly of the pump dispenser, and is further securely disposed at an end of the discharge head nozzle for reducing or virtually eliminating the odds of valve 22 being dislodged from discharge head 10. During shipment and periods of non-use, slit 38 effectively seals passage 14 from atmosphere, thus preventing leakage of product from passage 14 and further preventing drying of product within passage 14. The spout valve assembly according to the present invention also avoids the need for any means acting between spout valve 22 and discharge head 10 for retaining the valve in place, as evident with conventional valve assemblies, as such retention means are often inadequate for preventing dislodgement of the spout valve from the pump head. Yet further, contrary to conventional valve assemblies, the valve assembly of the present invention does not require any specific portion of the elastomeric valve to be sealed with the discharge head, but simply provides the required sealing upon the snap-fit engagement of retainer 26. Moreover, valve assembly 18 includes only two components, i.e.
valve 22 and retainer 26, which from a manufacturing point ofview provide an extremely cost-effective pump dispenser design.
As discussed above, various modifications may be made to the spout valve assembly without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, although a single outlet slit 38 is illustrated in Fig. 3, a plurality of slits may be employed for altering the cross-section of the product output. Further, while the spout valve assembly has been illustrated herein for a manually operated pump dispenser, those skilled in the ad would also appreciate in view of this disclosure that the spout valve assembly may be used with squeeze or non-manually operated pump dispensers as well, i.e. a dispenser having a manually deformable side wall or wall portion, or a dispenser having a pump motor for discharging liquid product. It should also be noted that although the spout valve assembly has been described as being used in addition to a separate discharge valve provided within the pump dispenser, the spout valve assembly may be readily used in addition to or in lieu of a separate discharge valve provided within the pump dispenser, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Thereafter, when finger pressure on head 10 is released, the piston commences its upward stroke, by energy stored in the pump spring. Upward movement of the piston produces a pressure drop in the pump chamber, causing liquid to be sucked into the pump chamber via a dip tube, in readiness for a further downward stroke. During the upward stroke, slit 38 remains in a closed configuration.
The assembly of discharge head 10 will now be described with reference to Figs. 1-3.
Specifically, in order to assemble discharge head 10, spout valve 22 may be disposed within opening 24 within head 10, and thereafter, retainer 26 may be snap-fitted within opening 24 with valve 22 already in place. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, spout valve 22 and retainer 26 may be assembled such that spout valve 22 is disposed within opening 48 of retainer 26 prior to insertion within opening 24, and thereafter, the valve assembly may be inserted within opening 24 of discharge head 10. In either case, it can be seen that a simple yet effective means is provided for retaining valve 22 within discharge head 10.
The spout valve assembly according to the present invention thus provides several benefits over those of the prior art. For example, spout valve assembly 18 including spout valve 22 and retainer 26 facilitates assembly of the pump dispenser, and is further securely disposed at an end of the discharge head nozzle for reducing or virtually eliminating the odds of valve 22 being dislodged from discharge head 10. During shipment and periods of non-use, slit 38 effectively seals passage 14 from atmosphere, thus preventing leakage of product from passage 14 and further preventing drying of product within passage 14. The spout valve assembly according to the present invention also avoids the need for any means acting between spout valve 22 and discharge head 10 for retaining the valve in place, as evident with conventional valve assemblies, as such retention means are often inadequate for preventing dislodgement of the spout valve from the pump head. Yet further, contrary to conventional valve assemblies, the valve assembly of the present invention does not require any specific portion of the elastomeric valve to be sealed with the discharge head, but simply provides the required sealing upon the snap-fit engagement of retainer 26. Moreover, valve assembly 18 includes only two components, i.e.
valve 22 and retainer 26, which from a manufacturing point ofview provide an extremely cost-effective pump dispenser design.
As discussed above, various modifications may be made to the spout valve assembly without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, although a single outlet slit 38 is illustrated in Fig. 3, a plurality of slits may be employed for altering the cross-section of the product output. Further, while the spout valve assembly has been illustrated herein for a manually operated pump dispenser, those skilled in the ad would also appreciate in view of this disclosure that the spout valve assembly may be used with squeeze or non-manually operated pump dispensers as well, i.e. a dispenser having a manually deformable side wall or wall portion, or a dispenser having a pump motor for discharging liquid product. It should also be noted that although the spout valve assembly has been described as being used in addition to a separate discharge valve provided within the pump dispenser, the spout valve assembly may be readily used in addition to or in lieu of a separate discharge valve provided within the pump dispenser, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (16)
1. A manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes, said pump dispenser comprising: a spout valve assembly located within an opening in said discharge head, said spout valve assembly permitting outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with said discharge head opening during each of said pressure strokes, the assembly including a spout valve retained substantially within said discharge head opening by a retainer, said spout valve being disposed within an opening in said retainer, and including a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof, said slit including slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration, said spout valve including a section tapered toward said slit, said retainer opening including a complementary taper as said spout valve to securely retain said spout valve within said retainer opening, said spout valve being made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of said slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of said pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through said slit when in said slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of said slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through said slit when in said slit closed configuration.
2. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said slitted first end of said spout valve protrudes out through said retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of said discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within said retainer opening.
3. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said retainer fixedly retains said spout valve within said discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between said retainer and said discharge head.
4. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent said second opposite end of said spout valve for fixedly retaining said spout valve within said discharge head opening.
5. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said spout valve is formed of at least one of a silicone and a thermoplastic elastomer.
6. A spout valve assembly for a manual pump dispenser including a discharge head reciprocable between pressure and return strokes, said spout valve assembly located within an opening in said discharge head, said spout valve assembly permitting outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with said discharge head opening during each of said pressure strokes, the assembly including a spout valve retained substantially within said discharge head opening by a retainer, said spout valve being disposed within an opening in said retainer, and including a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof, said slit including slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration, said spout valve including a section tapered toward said slit, said retainer opening including a complementary taper as said spout valve to securely retain said spout valve within said retainer opening, said spout valve being made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of said slit under pressure from the liquid product during each of said pressure strokes for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through said slit when in said slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of said slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through said slit when in said slit closed configuration.
7. The spout valve assembly according to claim 6, wherein said slitted first end of said spout valve protrudes out through said retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within said retainer opening.
8. The spout valve assembly according to claim 6, wherein said retainer fixedly retains said spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between said retainer and the discharge head.
9. The spout valve assembly according to claim 6, wherein said retainer includes a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent said second opposite end of said spout valve for fixedly retaining said spout valve within the discharge head opening.
10. The spout valve assembly according to claim 6, wherein said spout valve is formed of at least one of a silicone and a thermoplastic elastomer.
11. A spout valve assembly for a pump dispenser including a discharge head, said spout valve assembly located within an opening in said discharge head, said spout valve assembly permitting outletting of liquid product through a passage in fluid communication with said discharge head opening, the assembly including a spout valve retained substantially within said discharge head opening by a retainer, said spout valve being disposed within an opening in said retainer, and including a slit at a first end thereof and an orifice at a second opposite end thereof, said slit including slit lips directly engageable with each other to define a slit closed configuration and disengageable from each other to define a slit opened configuration, said spout valve including a section tapered toward said slit, said retainer opening including a complementary taper as said spout valve to securely retain said spout valve within said retainer opening, said spout valve being made of a material for permitting predetermined opening of said slit under pressure from the liquid product for thereby allowing the liquid product to be discharged out through said slit when in said slit opened configuration, and for otherwise permitting rapid closing of said slit to prevent the liquid product from being discharged through said slit when in said slit closed configuration.
12. The spout valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said slitted first end of said spout valve protrudes out through said retainer opening beyond an outer surface profile of the discharge head to prevent liquid product from accumulating within said retainer opening.
13. The spout valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said retainer fixedly retains said spout valve within the discharge head opening by the provision of an annular rib disposed within an annular groove for providing a snap-fit engagement between said retainer and the discharge head.
14. The spout valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said retainer includes a flange at an inner end thereof engageable with a complementary flange provided adjacent said second opposite end of said spout valve for fixedly retaining said spout valve within the discharge head opening.
15. The spout valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said spout valve is formed of at least one of a silicone and a thermoplastic elastomer.
16. The spout valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said retainer is formed of a rigid plastic.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US11/113,132 | 2005-04-25 | ||
| US11/113,132 US7886941B2 (en) | 2005-04-25 | 2005-04-25 | Dispenser having air tight spout |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2543571A1 CA2543571A1 (en) | 2006-10-25 |
| CA2543571C true CA2543571C (en) | 2011-03-22 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| CA2543571A Expired - Fee Related CA2543571C (en) | 2005-04-25 | 2006-04-13 | Dispenser having air tight spout |
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| US (1) | US7886941B2 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1716928B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2006306501A (en) |
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| MX (1) | MXPA06004612A (en) |
| TW (1) | TW200710004A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2006116312A2 (en) |
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| US6543651B2 (en) * | 2000-12-19 | 2003-04-08 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Self-contained viscous liquid dispenser |
| USH2027H1 (en) * | 2001-06-06 | 2002-06-04 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Flexible slit valve |
| US6708852B2 (en) * | 2001-08-20 | 2004-03-23 | Alternative Packaging Solutions, L.P. | Non-chemical aerosol dispenser |
| GB0123537D0 (en) | 2001-10-01 | 2001-11-21 | Rieke Packaging Systems Ltd | Dispenser pumps |
| DE10303605A1 (en) | 2003-01-30 | 2004-08-19 | Gaplast Gmbh | One-way valve device |
| US7086572B2 (en) * | 2004-03-26 | 2006-08-08 | Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc. | Valve for dispensing product |
| US7306129B2 (en) | 2005-11-03 | 2007-12-11 | Stewart Swiss | One way valve assembly |
| US7886941B2 (en) | 2005-04-25 | 2011-02-15 | Meadwestvaco Calmar Inc. | Dispenser having air tight spout |
| US20090101681A1 (en) | 2007-10-19 | 2009-04-23 | Remedios Dato | Liquid Dispensing Tip With Reservoir |
| US7997463B2 (en) | 2007-10-30 | 2011-08-16 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Nozzle, adhesive dispenser, and method of dispensing adhesive |
-
2005
- 2005-04-25 US US11/113,132 patent/US7886941B2/en active Active
-
2006
- 2006-04-13 CA CA2543571A patent/CA2543571C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2006-04-14 TW TW095113471A patent/TW200710004A/en unknown
- 2006-04-18 BR BRPI0601277-9A patent/BRPI0601277A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2006-04-19 JP JP2006115358A patent/JP2006306501A/en active Pending
- 2006-04-24 CN CNB2006100758683A patent/CN100500524C/en active Active
- 2006-04-24 AR ARP060101612A patent/AR056322A1/en unknown
- 2006-04-25 WO PCT/US2006/015472 patent/WO2006116312A2/en not_active Ceased
- 2006-04-25 MX MXPA06004612A patent/MXPA06004612A/en active IP Right Grant
- 2006-04-25 AT AT06113024T patent/ATE538872T1/en active
- 2006-04-25 KR KR1020077014750A patent/KR101236315B1/en active Active
- 2006-04-25 EP EP06113024A patent/EP1716928B1/en active Active
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| HK1092438A1 (en) | 2007-02-09 |
| AU2006201648A1 (en) | 2006-11-09 |
| BRPI0601277A (en) | 2006-12-19 |
| MXPA06004612A (en) | 2007-04-24 |
| CN100500524C (en) | 2009-06-17 |
| EP1716928A2 (en) | 2006-11-02 |
| ATE538872T1 (en) | 2012-01-15 |
| WO2006116312A2 (en) | 2006-11-02 |
| TW200710004A (en) | 2007-03-16 |
| EP1716928B1 (en) | 2011-12-28 |
| CN1854026A (en) | 2006-11-01 |
| US7886941B2 (en) | 2011-02-15 |
| KR101236315B1 (en) | 2013-02-22 |
| CA2543571A1 (en) | 2006-10-25 |
| AR056322A1 (en) | 2007-10-03 |
| US20060237491A1 (en) | 2006-10-26 |
| JP2006306501A (en) | 2006-11-09 |
| WO2006116312A3 (en) | 2007-12-06 |
| KR20080024104A (en) | 2008-03-17 |
| EP1716928A3 (en) | 2007-08-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20150413 |